Chasing Cars
by operationhenry
Summary: An AU based around The Pursuit of Happyness. When Emma Swan becomes broke and homeless, she and her young son, Henry, end up sleeping on the streets. However, she doesn't give up hope and it becomes her aim to find a decent job and a stable home for her kid. But will determination be enough to get their lives back on track?


**A/N: **Hi everyone! I used to write under the name 'LovettRiver' on here but decided to start fresh. I wanted to start with something different to what I wrote before, so I decided on a Henry and Emma-centric fic based around one of my favourite movies, The Pursuit of Happyness. I dont know if this AU's been done before, so if it has, I'm sorry about that! A Henry/Emma centric fic isn't something I've written before, so I don't know how this'll seem to you guys, but I hope you enjoy it :)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Once Upon A Time or the main characters of this story.

* * *

**Chapter One**

"C'mon, kid," Emma Swan said, as her sleeping five-year-old made sounds of displeasure at being disturbed at 6am. "You gotta get up if you want pancakes."

Henry was evidently tempted by that, because he moved the duvet from over his head and looked up at his mother, his green eyes so similar to Emma's. "With chocolate sauce?"

"Sure, if you want."

Having pancakes for breakfast wasn't a regular occurrence and Henry wasn't going to pass up the chance of the luxury when it came around. The little boy got out of bed then, with a yawn and a smile at his mom. He took her hand and the two of them headed down to the kitchen.

The pancakes ended up a chocolaty mess on Henry's plate and face. Once the kid got cleaned up, he and his mom set off on the walk to daycare, which was two blocks away.

"I was thinking about making a list," Henry said as the pair walked up the street.

"For your birthday?" Emma asked. Henry would be turning six in a few months.

"Yeah, and then I can choose a couple of things from it that I want this year," He explained. The little boy was used to getting only a couple of things for his birthday. Ever since his dad left not long after he turned three, Emma hadn't been able to afford to buy him more than maybe three presents.

"That's a good idea," Emma nodded in approval. Shortly after, they arrived at Henry's daycare. "Mommy, can we go to the park today after daycare?" He asked as Emma helped him with his coat.  
"I can't today," Emma said sadly as she hung up the coat on his peg and lowered herself to his eye level. "You're going to Ellen's after." Ellen was the local childminder, who often looked after Henry when Emma was running late with work.

"Oh…" Henry frowned. "Okay."

"I gotta sort some stuff out with Sarah," She explained. Emma worked as a café waitress and Sarah was Emma's manager. She'd been called to a meeting today, though she had no idea what it was about. "I'm sorry. Maybe tomorrow, okay?"

Henry managed a small smile at that and nodded. Henry threw his arms around her neck and hugged her tightly, Emma hugging back.

"I love you," She told him.

"I love you too," was the response. The hug broke apart and they exchanged smiles again.

"See you later, kid," She said, standing up straight again, heading for the door with a wave and leaving.

* * *

Emma went to collect her yellow bug from home, to drive to the café, once she'd dropped off Henry. After the meeting was over, she sat in it just sat, thinking. Crap. The café was closing down. She was going to lose her job and her income by the end of the week. Crap. She barely made ends meet as it was. How was she going to get food for her kid? Pay the rent, which she was already two months behind on? She ran her hand through her hair and swallowed hard. New jobs were pretty hard to come by. But she'd have to find one, for her son's sake.

She drove back home, called Ellen and told her not to worry about fetching Henry and went to collect him at 1pm.

"Mom?" The little boy tilted his head in confusion when he saw her walk through the door.

"Hey, kid," She said. A smile crossed Henry's lips then, and he ran over to hug her tightly

"I thought you couldn't pick me up today?" He said once the hug broke apart

"Change of plans," Emma flashed him a reassuring smile. "We can go to the park now, if you like."

"Awesome!" Henry beamed.

* * *

Henry's favourite thing at the local park had always been the castle and slide.

"Mommy," Henry called from the top of it. "Watch me go down the slide!"

On a nearby bench, Emma, who had been lost in thought, came back to the reality and called, "I'm watching."

Henry slid down the metal slide and rushed over to his mom. "I'm bored," He told her. Apparently the park loses its appeal even with five-year-olds pretty quickly. "Can we go home?"

She agreed and, as they walked hand-in-hand, Henry asked, "Mommy, can we have breakfast in your café tomorrow?"

Emma sighed and said, "I'm not really gonna be working at the café anymore, Henry."

"How come?" Henry frowned.

"It's closing down now," Emma explained. "'Cause not as many people eat there anymore. So I'm gonna have to look for another job."

"Oh," Henry frowned. "…In a different café?"

Emma gave a little chuckle at that. "I don't know, kid, maybe." The truth was, she didn't know anywhere around here where there were job vacancies. So where exactly she could look played on Emma's mind for the rest of the night.


End file.
